In short, the answer is a confident “no”. We examine different reasons for why this is the case and why white roof coatings are actually preferable to white roof paint below.

White Roof Paint Compared to White Roof Elastomeric Coatings

According to the consulting firm The ChemQuest Group, in 2007 white elastomeric roof coatings accounted for almost two-thirds (or sixty-seven percent) of the entire cool roof coatings market. At the time of the firm’s report, white roof coatings were growing at an annual rate of 11-12 percent.

As people have become more aware of white roofs and their benefits, their misperceptions of what white roof paint actually is have become stronger. Initiatives that aim at curbing energy consumption, such as the ENERGY STAR® program, have raised consumer awareness of the impact that a white roof can have on energy savings and environmental protection.

Aside from technical details in their composition, white roof paint and white roof coatings most strongly differ in the length of their lifespan and their energy-saving properties. To keep things simple, here is a list of how these two products differ from each other.

White Roof Paint:

Lasts for only a couple of seasons before chipping away

Does not get rid of heat

No noteworthy energy-saving properties

Cannot stand up to ponding water or extreme weather

No waterproofing capability

Limited reflectivity, especially over a period of time

Thin body when applied

Vs.

White Roof Coating:

Strong coating formulations can last for 20 years or more

Mitigates heat transfer

Tremendous reflective and emittance properties

Resists ponding water and extreme weather

Complete waterproofing solution

Well-engineered coatings reflect the majority of sun’s heat

Thick body when applied

In summary, a white roof coating has far more to offer than white roof paint. For customers who are especially cost-conscious, a white roof coating is more economical than white roof paint in the long run. How? White roof paint will require multiple reapplications in just a short amount of time. The lack of energy savings will prove to be costly, too. With just those costs alone stacking up, a white roof coating is far more likely to not require reapplication and to generate strong energy savings.

White Roof Coating and Its Performance Value

When someone is looking at a white roof coating’s efficacy, it is helpful to keep these things in mind:

What is the extent of the white roof coating’s elastomeric properties (measured as “elongation” in spec sheets)?

What is the white roof coating’s thickness when applied (measured typically as dry mils)?

What are the white roof coating’s reflectance and emittance values (measures of how much of the sun’s heat a roof coating reflects and how much absorbed heat the roof coating releases)?

Along with Conklin’s other industry-leading product selections, these white roof coatings have been installed on over 2 billion square feet of roofing in the United States. On the whole, Conklin roofing products sport a warranty claims rate of less than 0.5%, a very strong performance record.

Should you be interested in learning more about why a Conklin white roof coating adds great value to the commercial roofing industry, please call us at 800-670-5583.

Be sure to ask about how our commercial roofing contractors stand out for their ability to offer a lifetime service guarantee and how our Conklin roof coatings make for superior white roofing systems.

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Ian was the very first team member brought on by the original co-founders of the Choice Roof Contractor Group to assist with nationwide growth. Since then he has written 120+ blog posts and provided excellent support to the roofing contractors in the group. Through his multiple roles in the commercial roofing industry, he has gained tremendous knowledge in the sector.

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